Because many nonprofits have social missions of education, service and social uplift, encouraging voting and other forms of participation is a natural part of every nonprofit’s mission. An increasing number of nonprofits are incorporating civic engagement into their overall mission, regardless of the issues they address or the communities they serve.

This is not only because of the benefits to individual voters, but also because of the implications for the nonprofit and the sector. The nonprofit sector depends on good government and fair and open elections. Nonprofits are more likely to thrive in an environment where government is held in high esteem and people are more likely to participate in the process.

Having engaged constituents allows nonprofits to activate a group of voters who support their policy goals. This is important because elected officials and policy makers are more likely to pay attention to communities that vote.

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Founded in 2005, Nonprofit VOTE partners with America’s nonprofits to help the people they serve participate and vote. We are the leading source of nonpartisan resources to help nonprofits integrate voter engagement into their ongoing activities and services.

Being Nonpartisan: Voter Engagement for 501(c)(3) Nonprofits

Thursday, April 16th, 2:00PM ET, 11:00AM PT

Learn about the IRS’s guidelines for 501(c)(3) organizations that engage in nonpartisan political activities with their clients, consumers, patients, staff, and constituents. The webinar explains what’s prohibited and what isn’t, including nonpartisan voter registration, voter education, get-out-the-vote, and candidate engagement.